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Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA) 2025-2028

Key findings

  • The provision of pharmacy services within Cheshire West and Chester, in terms of location, opening hours and service provision is considered adequate to meet the needs of the population. As such, this PNA has not identified a current need for new NHS pharmaceutical service providers in Cheshire West and Chester (CW&C) at the point this PNA was produced (January 2025).
  • In the borough of CW&C there are 68 community pharmacies and one distance selling pharmacy (January 2025). CW&C has a slightly higher pharmacy-to-population ratio than the England average. There is adequate geographical coverage of pharmacies, with dispensing support from five dispensing doctors and cross-border pharmacies.
  • At January 2025, all residents are within a 15-minute drive of a pharmacy, even in rush hour. There is good access via public transport with 93% of residents within a 30-minute commute. Access is more limited for walking to a pharmacy – 84% of residents are within a 20-minute walk. The majority of those that are not, live in rural areas.
  • Chronic conditions, obesity and premature death are higher for residents living in the most deprived areas of the borough and these areas in particular dictate a need for the full range of pharmaceutical services. All residents living in the most deprived areas of the borough are within a 15-minute walk or commute to a pharmacy.
  • Opening hours of pharmacies are considered sufficient at January 2025, but if further amendments to evening and weekend opening take place, the impact on residents should be reviewed.
  • We are mindful of recent pharmacy closures that have taken place both nationally and locally. It must be acknowledged that pharmacies are under pressure, and the impact of further pharmacy closures during the lifespan of this PNA will need to be reviewed, particularly in community partnership areas with already lower pharmacy-to-population ratios than the CW&C average. This includes Chester East, Winsford, Rural, Chester Central and Ellesmere Port community partnerships.
  • A broad range of advanced and locally commissioned services are provided in addition to essential services.
  • The CW&C pharmacy survey (November 2024) highlighted that residents value having a pharmacy nearby, but also highlighted medicine unavailability, long waiting times for prescription collection, and long wait times in the pharmacies. This reflects the challenges that pharmacies are facing with increasing demand, medicine shortages and financial pressures.
  • The number of residents accessing community pharmacies is growing:
    • There will be large housing developments during the lifetime of this 2025-2028 PNA in Ellesmere Port and Northwich community partnerships.
    • Population forecasts suggest the proportion of people aged 65 and over is expected to rise by 22% by 2033 increasing the workload for dispensing and support for self-care.
    • CW&C has a higher prevalence of patients with a long-term condition or disease than the England average and these figures will rise with our ageing population.
    • It is anticipated that capacity within existing services should be able to support the overall pharmaceutical needs of future populations.